1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to a pedal device provided on an automotive vehicle, such as a brake pedal device and an accelerator pedal, and more particularly to an improved vehicle pedal device wherein the position of an operating portion of a pedal arm in its non-operated state is movable in the longitudinal or running direction of the vehicle.
2. Discussion of Related Art
There is widely known a pedal device for an automotive vehicle, such as a brake pedal device and an accelerator pedal device. Such a pedal device includes a pedal arm which is pivotally supported by a stationary bracket fixed on the vehicle and which has an operating portion in the form of a pedal pad, for instance, at its lower end, so that the pedal arm is operated at its operating portion. The pedal device is arranged to push or pull a desired power transmitting member, or to convert its operating stroke or force into an electric signal. One type of the pedal device which has been proposed is adapted such that the operating portion of the pedal arm in its non-operated state is movable in the longitudinal or running direction of the vehicle. Examples of the pedal of the type indicated above are disclosed in JP-B2-6-40292 (first prior art pedal device) and JP-B2-2-39807 (second prior art pedal device). These pedal devices are easily operable by an operator of the vehicle, irrespective of the specific physical characteristics of the operator, since the non-operated position of the operating portion of the pedal arm is adjustable in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle relative to the vehicle operator.
In the first prior art pedal device indicated above, the pedal arm including the operating portion is movable through a pair of parallel straight elongate holes along a straight line, with its attitude kept constant. In the second prior art pedal device, the pedal arm including the operating portion is movable through an arcuate elongate hole along a circular arc.
However, the first prior art pedal device adapted to translate the pedal arm while keeping its attitude does not necessarily permit the vehicle operators with their legs having different lengths to manipulate the pedal arm with a sufficiently high degree of operational ease. Described in detail, when the pedal arm is placed at its non-operated position or the rearmost position nearest to the operator's seat in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, the operator's foot generally approaches the operating portion of the pedal arm in an almost vertical direction, to press down the operating portion. If the attitude of the operating portion of the pedal arm is designed to have an operating surface which faces comparatively upwards when the pedal arm is placed at its non-operated position, the pedal arm cannot be necessarily manipulated by the foot with a sufficiently high degree of operational ease at its operating surface facing comparatively upwards, when the pedal arm has been considerably operated in the forward direction toward its fully operated position. Conversely, if the attitude of the operating portion of the pedal arm is designed to have an operating surface which faces comparatively rearwards when the pedal arm is placed at its fully operated position, the pedal arm cannot be depressed with ease when the pedal arm is placed at its non-operated position.
In the second prior art pedal device, the operating portion of the pedal arm is located at a comparatively low position when the pedal arm is placed at its non-operated position nearest to the vehicle operator's seat. Further, the operating surface of the operating portion faces comparatively upwards when the pedal arm is placed at its non-operated position. Accordingly, the pedal arm can be manipulated with a high degree of operational ease, irrespective of the adjusted position of the operating portion of the pedal arm in the non-operated state (at the non-operated position). However, the second prior art pedal device suffers from a relatively high cost of manufacture due to difficult formation of the arcuate elongate hole for guiding the pedal arm, and the use of an expensive arcuate rack for arcuate movement of the pedal arm.